The Yesterday Crater. It wasnít there the day before yesterday. A meteor impacted head on somewhere west of the colony. Good for us that it didnít arrive a few minutes earlier. According to the visuals from the satellites, it was the size of a firetruck. Thatís where we are going now. To the crater to see if something valuable has surfaced.

Fresh air. In the morning just after I get up, I go and stand in front of the big fan that regulates the air in the dining hall. I close my eyes, let the wind from the fan catch my hair and take a deep breath. Itís like opening your window on a spring morning in the mountains or in the forest. You get that extra kick from the high oxygen level and the smell of ozone and you can feel it all day.

Eden, it was not. We all knew that. Still, I baptized the first biosphere Eden, as a symbol for the vision that drove us here: To create a world for human-kind to live without fear, famine or strife. I do not believe in God. But I do believe in the good of humankind. At least as long as there is enough to eat and enough partners for everyone. Kim will join me with the next mission.

When John Cabot landed on Newfoundland in 1497, he ordered his men not to advance beyond the distance of a crossbow. I sometimes compare our endeavor to that of the explorers of earlier times. While he feared hostile natives, we fear the hostile environment of Mars. Our lives depend on us getting back to safety in the base if something happens. Mars is no place for taking chances.

The Million Dollar Desert. Named after a failed landing. The thing exploded high above the surface, debris spread everywhere. Luckily no one died, it was unmanned, remote controlled from orbit. Just f*cking millions worth of Earth dollars of food and supplies went up in smoke. Including my private relief package, with vacuum packed chocolate chip cookies and home knitted socks. Mum was devastated. We still pick up bits and pieces when the sand shifts.

Kids? Donít want them. The Earth is crowded enough without my offspring joining the rat race and the colony is definitely not a place for kids. At least not for another generation or two.

Empty newsfeed. Politics. Earthquakes. Draught. I used to follow the news-feed closely every day. Breaking news. Peace treaty signed. Prime minister stepping down. Now everything is so distant, so irrelevant. Places I will never go. People I will never meet. I turned it off. The silence was scary.